


The Young and the Bearless

by FicinaFlash



Series: Wild Iris and The Bear [3]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Appendicitis, F/M, No Care Bears Were Harmed, Petty Barry Allen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-05
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-18 10:27:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5925088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FicinaFlash/pseuds/FicinaFlash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry and Joe rally around Iris after she had her appendix removed. Sometimes children are freer to act on love than anyone else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Young and the Bearless

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DesertEagle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertEagle/gifts).



> I imagne this happening when Barry and Iris were small; think 'The Flash Is Born' flashbacks when Iris and Barry practice punches. Joe kept butting in so he is here, too. This was inspired by trading head cannons with DesertEagle, and by my Westallen feels. I'm going to write as many plot bunnies as I have time for!

"C'mon, Barry. You can go in. I'm sure she's going to like what we picked out." 

A young boy, more red cheeks and nerves and eyelashes than anything else hovered at the door. 

Joe got to his knees to be eye level with him. 

"She's gunna need her homework, Barry. You want to help her, don't you?" 

Still looking at the floor, he wandered to her bedside. 

Remarkable. Anything he told Barry to do to help Iris always, always worked. Joe decided to wait at the door and have a better view. He wouldn't have guessed kids could fall in love, but it wouldn't be the first or the last time he'd be wrong, he knew. As long as he could do right by them. 

"Barry! Hi!" 

Finally he looked up. The light from her greeting shone on his face like sunlight. Quickly, he set the garish red and pink Care Bear and the worksheets on her lap, and backed up again, like an offering.

"Joe and I got you a bear and your homework..." 

Ignoring the worksheets completely, Iris snatched the the bear up off her legs and began to nuzzle it into her face. Iris loved like she did anything else, with everything. No wonder Joe had been thrown for a loop in working with Barry. 

Barry's laughter, almost mythological in the West household, rang out in the cramped hospital room. Joe shook his head in amazement. He'd turned backflips to make Barry crack a smile and it had never been so easy. 

She threw it at him, more like to him because she was still recovering. He dutifully handed it right back to her so she could throw it at him again. 

"I know! You're Care Beary!" 

At this, Barry's blush matched the Care Bear he was handing back her. "Okay, Iris, that's fine." 

"Not you, Barry! Him!" 

Barry's expression soured from the inside out as he watched her begin to nuzzle Care Beary's nose with Eskimo kisses. Clever Iris however, caught sight of his expression and set the stuffed bear down again. 

"You already have a nickname, Bear." 

As soon as his smile was back, flickering at the corners of his lips like he couldn't help it, Iris picked up the bear again. 

"But right now, it's his turn! Mwah, mwah!" Her exaggerated kissy-noises did not go over well with either man in the room. Joe waltzed into the room and came up behind Barry, ready to 'ohh' and 'ahh' over the gift. 

It's funny, but neither Joe nor Barry were overly worried when Care Beary lost an eye that summer...


End file.
